Clear Creek County, Colorado: Power, Data Centers and the Local Economy
Home to Idaho Springs and Georgetown
No data center or power plant project is on record in Clear Creek County, but the national build-out still reaches it through its utility bill, its labor market and the projects next door. Clear Creek County is home to Idaho Springs and Georgetown. Unemployment was 4.4% in August 2026, against 2.5% in 2019. Next door, Jefferson County has 2 data centers. Employers here counted 3,430 jobs in 2025, up 5.6% from 2019. Its power plants have 301 MW of capacity, 100% of it hydro.
Cities and towns in Clear Creek County
Clear Creek County is home to Idaho Springs and Georgetown.
Unincorporated communities (governed by the county): Blue Valley, Brook Forest, Downieville-Lawson-Dumont, Echo Hills, Floyd Hill, Pine Valley, St. Mary's, Upper Bear Creek, Upper Witter Gulch.
Residents are 2025 Census estimates for the part of each city, town or township inside this county. Census publishes no annual estimate for unincorporated communities.
What changed in Clear Creek County
1st = the most. Ranks cover counties with a value on record.
| Measure | Then | Now | Change | Rank in Colorado |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Population (2020 → 2025) | 9,358 | 8,994 | ▼ 3.9% | 39th of 64 by size |
| Total jobs (2019 → 2025) | 3,247 | 3,430 | ▲ 5.6% | 28th of 64 by growth |
| Average annual pay (2019 → 2025) | $47,856 | $68,772 | ▲ 43.7% | — |
| Construction jobs (2019 → 2025) | 110 | 76 | ▼ 30.9% | — |
| Unemployment rate (2019 → August 2026) | 2.5% | 4.4% | ▲ 1.9pts | — |
| Generating capacity added since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — | |
| Generating capacity retired since 2019 | — | 0 MW | — |
Public Service Co of Colorado is the largest utility serving Clear Creek County, one of 3 with territory here. Its residential customers paid an average 15.05¢/kWh in 2024. 8,994 people live here, down 3.9% since 2020.
Who powers Clear Creek County
Utilities with service territory in Clear Creek County
| Utility | Ownership | Service | Residential customers (systemwide) | Residential price, 2024 | Commercial share of sales |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Public Service Co of Colorado | Investor Owned | Bundled | 1,365,053 | 15.05¢ | 44% |
| CORE Electric Cooperative | Cooperative | Bundled | 165,067 | 15.04¢ | 32% |
| WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration | Federal | Bundled | — | — | 72% |
Customer counts, prices and sales shares cover each utility's whole system in the state, not only this county. Commercial sales include data centers.
Operating power plants 2
| Technology | Capacity | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Hydro | 301 MW | 100% |
| Largest plants | Owner | Technology | MW | Since |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabin Creek | Public Service Co of Colorado | Hydro | 300 MW | 1967 |
| Georgetown Hydro | Public Service Co of Colorado | Hydro | 1 MW | 1906 |
The Clear Creek County labor market
| Industry (2025) | Jobs | Average pay | Concentration vs U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| All industries | 3,430 | $68,772 | 1.00 |
| Construction | 76 | $77,988 | 0.42 |
Concentration is the BLS location quotient: 1.0 means the industry holds the same share of local jobs as it does nationally. Industry rows count private employers; cells BLS suppresses are left out.
Data centers and local rules in Clear Creek County
No data center, local measure or delayed project is on record in Clear Creek County. Colorado has 25 local measures on record statewide, and 1 neighboring county has one: Jefferson County.
Clear Creek County and its neighbors
Of the 5 counties that border Clear Creek County, Jefferson County carries the most build-out activity: data centers, planned generation and operating plants combined.
| County | Population | Jobs since 2019 | Operating MW | Planned MW | Data centers | Local measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clear Creek County | 8,994 | ▲ 5.6% | 301 MW | — | — | — |
| Gilpin County | 6,073 | ▲ 2.6% | — | — | — | — |
| Grand County | 16,496 | ▲ 5.9% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Jefferson County | 580,451 | ▲ 1.7% | 277 MW | — | 2 | 1 |
| Park County | 18,314 | ▲ 23.3% | 6 MW | — | — | — |
| Summit County | 31,517 | ▲ 1.2% | 28 MW | — | — | — |
More of Colorado
Clear Creek County, answered from the record
Who provides electricity in Clear Creek County, Colorado?
3 utilities have service territory in Clear Creek County in the EIA-861 2024 report: Public Service Co of Colorado, CORE Electric Cooperative, WAPA-- Western Area Power Administration. The largest, Public Service Co of Colorado, charged residential customers 15.05¢/kWh on average in 2024.
What power plants are in Clear Creek County?
2 operating plants with 301 MW of capacity. The largest is Cabin Creek (300 MW, hydro).
Are there data centers in Clear Creek County?
The SAVRN Data Center Map has no data center in Clear Creek County. The nearest activity on record is next door in Jefferson County.
Is Clear Creek County adding jobs?
Employers counted 3,430 jobs in 2025 against 3,247 in 2019 (+5.6%, BLS QCEW). Construction went from 110 to 76.
Does Clear Creek County have a data center moratorium?
No county-level measure is on record for Clear Creek County. Colorado has 25 local measures statewide, listed on the state page.